Andrew Lloyd Webber is a musical theatre composer from London. His job is to write the music for many of the musicals we know and love – the Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita and Starlight Express are just a few examples of his work.
He was born in Kensington, a posh part of London. His family were very musical, and his brother Julian is a famous cello player in his own right. He was definitely a child prodigy, because he wrote his first piece of music at the tender age of 9! He went to Oxford University to study history, but after only 1 term he decided to drop out and pursue his career in music, even though his parents were nervous at first. However, it paid off, and Andrew Lloyd Webber has gone on to become one of the richest people in the country, through the money he’s made from his musical talent.
Some of his earliest productions were with the lyrics writer, Tim Rice, and they became something of a dynamic duo in musical theatre for many years. Their most famous work together is Jesus Christ Superstar, a musical based on the life of Jesus. The height of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s success was in the 1980’s, when he created Cats and the Phantom of the Opera. In the 1980’s, he was a big figure in culture at the time, and it’s possibly when he reached the height of his fame.
So let’s have a look at his most famous productions. Of course, there’s the Phantom of the Opera, which is truly epic. There’s also Cats, based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”, an unusual but popular musical. More family-friendly is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, based on a Biblical story with catchy tunes that’ll have everybody singing along.
A few years ago, you might have seen him on reality shows. He and the TV audience put contestants through an X-Factor style competition to find the West End’s newest star, for a specific production he’s putting on, like the Sound of Music or Joseph. So he’s become a bit of a TV personality, as these shows have connected him to the public and shown us his funny side. In 2009, he wrote and performed the Eurovision Song Contest entry, and the UK came 5th. That’s our most successful position in a very long time, and has yet to be beaten! Very recently, a new production of Cats has begun on the West End, starring former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.
As well as being a creative genius, Andrew Lloyd Webber is inspirational because of his work ethic. His success also shows that even if you aren’t academically successful, or great at school subjects, there are other paths in life you can follow – and you can turn your talent into a career. The Lord Lloyd Webber is also active in politics, as he participates in the House of Lords, especially on matters of the arts. He particularly believes that increasing education in performing arts for young people is important. So, he’s paving the way for young people to be creative, and encourages their success through various charity works. An inspiration to us all, and a great contributor to his field.
Image from: http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/guests/andrew-lloyd-webber
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